Bielsa says Guardiola is a genius of his own making
PREMIER LEAGUE
LEEDS boss Marcelo Bielsa has played down talk of being Pep Guardiola’s mentor before the two men go head to head at Elland Road tomorrow.
Manchester City coach Guardiola’s admiration for the Argentinian has been well-documented but Bielsa insists the younger manager’s success has been achieved on his own terms.
‘First of all he’s imaginative. He’s able to instantly create solutions to problems that he comes across,’ Bielsa said. ‘Another thing that distinguishes him as a top coach is that what he proposes, he is able to implement.
‘Guardiola imagines football in a freedom type of way, but to imagine football this way doesn’t mean the players are going to act the same way.
‘To propose a solution to the game, to be in line with what the player can do and that they don’t need a lot of time to incorporate it. For me, what I have just said is one of the biggest praises you can give a coach and I don’t know too many coaches, in my humble opinion, who would be deserving of this type of praise.’
Meanwhile, Ezgjan Alioski appears set to make his first Premier League start against City as a replacement for loan star Jack Harrison, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
‘Harrison is very important, we’re sad that he’s not going to play,’ Bielsa said. ‘Alioski is able to do as well or better than Harrison, [but] then after this there is the game – where you have to show it.’
Bielsa has no new injuries but bemoaned the continued absence of Pablo Hernandez with a groin strain.
‘Pablo brings a lot of creativity,’ said Bielsa. ‘Not having him means we will be less creative.’